Both @monkeybusiness and I bought Bobcat E27's four years ago, mainly on account of the extra services that he mentioned. Just tick a box on the order form. £600 option from factory for extra pipes/divertor plus another £600 option to have rollers on both joystics rather than a pedal- this is essential for arb work.
Actually, thinking back, I'm pretty sure I bought it for the above reasons and then happened to mention on here the five years free finance (which they offered at the time). And well, you know, monkey see monkey do! 🤷♂️
But seriously, it's been a great machine bar a few niggles. As an Arb digger, I don't reckon you'd get better in that weight class. I'm constantly amazed what it will lift and shift. It was easily my best purchase ever, and I say that as someone with a lot of mechanisation. Take note of the important distinction between the Bobcat E27, and the more common E27z. The z is zero turn, whereas the 27 is 'reduced tailswing'. It's brilliant. It looks like a zero but is just so planted. Minimal tailswing. UK standard spec when I bought was with an extra counterweight- check that this is still the case. The other big difference, and it's an important one, is that it runs a larger engine than the E27z. Interestingly, the E27z and much of the Bobcat mini range have switched to Yanmar engines from Kubota, but the E27 is still Kubota. This extra power is what you need to be looking for in an Arb digger- it drags whole trees about easily, pushes hard on the tracks and fills the rams quicker so you get stuff done quicker. Don't neglect this in favour of the cheaper E27z would be my advice.
I'm pleased to see @Conor Wright's opinion on the lack of wear in a 3000 hour Bobcat he looked at. I've been very impressed how little mine has worn given it's life doing 90% Arb work (and the other 10% seemingly breaker and riddle bucket work...), although I'm very diligent with the grease. Black moly grease for pins and bushes, lithium for the slew ring.
When I bought, the Kubota KX30-High Spec was exactly the same money, but the Bobcat had the five years free finance so that's why I went for Bobcat. Honestly, I'm glad I did. Yes, the paintwork could be better (although my 27 isn't nearly as bad as my E19). I often hear that the KX30 isn't nice to grade with, but to be honest the Bobcat isn't the greatest either even after a mod from the dealers. But 90% of my work is lifting and shifting, and I would think long and hard and get plenty of demo or hire time in a different machine before changing.
As regards grabs- the only brand I would consider would be Intermecato. I'd usually recommend Approved Hydraulics, but having bought four Intermecato grabs and a couple of rotators from them and asking for 'best price;' for another £4k worth of clamshell and rotator, I was disappointed they just offered me RRP. It wasn't a cheeky request in light of what I' ve spent with them already and a looming recession. So I'd go to Attachment Soloutions Ltd- nice guy and a better price. Join the PlantTalk forum for digger advice and he gives a small forum discount.
With the headstock for the grab, make sure you get one made that has the pins at an angle- around 35° IIRC. This is to allow you to reach out and grab things in front of you- standing saplings prior to cutting, etc. Very important.
My final advice would be advice I wish I'd been given. Start off with a Scandinavian hitch standard- probably S40. Don't be swayed by the dealers 'free Whites brand buckets and quick hitch'. There's still a cost to them to provide to this set (maybe £1200), so pay a little extra for S40 standard. This will give you a much better quality hitch that won't wear, lower build height and just plug and play for a tiltrotator in the future. I'd also spec it to be hydraulic- all my diggers have hydraulic hitches and it's brilliant. But having just bought a secondhand tiltrotator, it's cost me another £2.5k per digger to change the existing buckets and hitches to S standard. So pay an extra £1k when buying your digger and futureproof yourself. I'd highly recommend Steelwrist for an S40 quick hitch- I was blown away by the quality of one I've just fitted to my E19. So light and neat, and expander pins as standard to allow for any wear in the hitch eyes.